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CPI (M) ready to work with any 'democratic force'

By Our Special Correspondent

Chennai Dec. 21. As the Congress today called for "strengthening" of secular forces to combat rising communalism, the CPI (M) expressed its readiness to join hands with any "democratic force" in the fight against divisive elements.

The State CPI (M), which till recently had reservations about working with the Congress, announced from a TNCC platform that the party was "ready" to work with any "democratic force" to "save the country, economically and politically".

The CPI (M) leader, T.K. Rangarajan came up with the statement at the meeting organised here to pay homage to the late former Union Minister, Vazhapadi K. Ramamurthy.

Significantly, he referred to a newspaper article, which called upon the BJP allies — DMK and Telugu Desam — to wake up to the threat of communalism at least now, with the Gujarat Assembly elections spelling danger to the secular fabric of the State.

The Tamil Nadu Congress general secretary, K.S.Azhagiri, too called upon the DMK and the PMK to rethink their support to the BJP.

Recalling Ramamurthy's "courage" in quitting ministership over the Cauvery issue during the Narasimha Rao Government, the State CPI Secretary, R. Nallakannu, wondered why the BJP allies in Tamil Nadu were remaining glued to their positions, without even raising a murmur of protest on the tangle. He also took a dig at the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, for her decision to participate in the swearing-in of her Gujarat counterpart, Narendra Modi.

Cong. revival process

The AICC Secretary, Ramesh Chennithala, said the Congress in Tamil Nadu was "in the process of revival". The real tribute to Ramamurthy would be to fearlessly fight the authoritarian forces, which were trying to destroy the secular fabric of the country.

The Pondicherry Congress president, V.Narayanasamy, joined issue with Ms. Jayalalithaa, who criticised the functioning of the Congress Governments in Kerala and Pondicherry. " In Tamil Nadu, all sections — students, government staff and transport corporation employees — are agitating. Is this good governance?'

The AICC secretary from Gujarat, Naresh Rawal, said the BJP had won the elections in the State, spreading hatred against Muslims, but it could not repeat the performance in the rest of the country.

While the TNCC chief, S. Balakrishnan; the working president, E.V.K.S. Elangovan; the AICC secretary, G.K.Vasan, and the MGR Kazhagam leader, R.M.Veerappan, hailed Ramamurthy's contribution to the Congress and the welfare of the backward classes, the Periyar Marxist party leader, V.Anaimuthu, recalled his role in ensuring that the Mandal Commission report was tabled in Parliament.

Paying tributes to Ramamurthy's "candid criticism", the former MP, R. Anbarasu said, though Congressmen were upset at his call for dismissal of the Krishna Government in Karnataka for his refusal to release Cauvery water, the demand was "fair".

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